Abstract
Having to deal with an emerging phenomenon in terms of housing, the questions that this study would try to observe critically and answer, are addressed on various levels. In connection to the conference, the central question of this work focuses on the built environment and the relations that arise from it: how can participatory design redefine residential buildings from a sustainability standpoint?
The presentation will first ground the concept of co-housing in its contemporary context, followed by two case studies of co-housing developments in Romania and abroad. It argues that co-housing can be seen as a living laboratory for architecture’s potential to support collective life, especially when residents are involved in the design process. Through a semi-structured interview and comparative analysis of two different co-housing projects, this work positions architecture not merely as a backdrop for social life but as an active agent in community formation. The paper includes diagrams and sketches that illustrate spatial connections, social relations, and the economic or legal aspects involved in this type of housing development, endorsing the hypothesis that sustainability is achieved on various aspects through alliance.